Sanctuary Tailstag:typepad.com,2003:weblog-18088862012-05-18T16:41:59-04:00News from behind Farm Sanctuary's barn doorsTypePadWe're Expecting! Part 2tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a010536e26195970b0163059ce657970d2012-05-18T16:41:59-04:002012-05-18T16:41:52-04:00By Susie Meet Our Mothers Just two weeks ago, a small herd of cattle arrived at the New York Shelter in horrible condition. The five adults and two calves were all starving and incredibly frightened after suffering severe neglect on...Farm Sanctuary

Just two weeks ago, a small herd of cattle arrived at the New York Shelter in horrible condition. The five adults and two calves were all starving and incredibly frightened after suffering severe neglect on a Western New York farm. As we wrote during the rescue, the property was littered with trash and abandoned equipment. The animals had been left without food, water or shelter, and the stench of death and decay was palpable. There was a makeshift slaughterhouse on the property where many of the animals were butchered. It was truly a shocking scene.

Belinda and Luna

As soon as rescued animals arrive at our shelters, we assess them to ensure that they are in good health or to immediately treat any health issues they may have. Because there was a bull among our new cattle friends, we had our large animal vet out to perform sonograms on all the female cattle. The sonograms revealed that Belinda, a Holstein already desperately depleted from starvation and nursing her current calf, Octavia, was carrying another baby. This poor girl was so exhausted that her body had stopped producing milk for her little one in an attempt to put all its energy into supporting her new pregnancy. Thankfully, we found that another cow, Luna, had stepped in and willingly allowed Octavia to nurse alongside her own calf, Orchid.

Belinda's calf, Octavia

Luna's calf, Orchid

Luna was the thinnest of the cattle and we rescued her just in time. Had she continued to nurse two babies without food or water, she surely would have died in that barren pasture. Safe with us, Luna is finally getting all the nutrients she needs to keep her own calf and Belinda’s daughter healthy and content. In fact, Octavia and Orchid don’t nurse nearly as often as they did in the first days after their rescue. Both calves are about 7-to-8 months old, an age at which they could survive on solid foods. But facing starvation on that farm, the milk from Luna, and likely from Belinda until she stopped producing, kept the calves alive and strong. Thanks to Luna, Belinda should now be able to put all her energy into her new baby and will hopefully have a strong beautiful calf.

Luna takes a well-deserved break from nursing Orchid and Octavia

Expectant mother Belinda enjoying the lush green grass at our New York Shelter

Belinda is a sweet girl who is still very shy. We believe that, when the baby arrives, Belinda, Octavia, and this new calf will learn to trust people more and more; but, for now, this girl is keeping her distance from everyone. Most importantly, Belinda and her children will all be able to spend the rest of their lives together. All three will have a new home at the VINE Sanctuary in Vermont. Not only will they be able to live as a family, but they will also always know the security of being part of a herd, which is something that all cattle deserve.

Oleander

Our second expectant mother, Oleander, arrived with an obvious belly. We hoped this was a sign that she was new to the herd and had endured the horror on that desolate farm for only a short time. Upon closer examination, however, we could tell that her belly was all baby and that she too was suffering from malnutrition with her pelvis and spine showing no muscle.

Oleander is a cautious, gentle girl who takes comfort from the other cattle, never straying from them even for a minute. She is especially close with a male Holstein, Tristan, who is most likely the father of our two expected arrivals. We hope that the special care and nutrition Oleander is now receiving will make up for the deprivation she endured at the beginning of her pregnancy. We will work to ensure that she, her calf, and Tristan are placed in a home where they can always be together.

Oleander safe at our New York Shelter

Cows, like humans, have a gestation period of about 40 weeks. We anticipate that Belinda and Oleander will deliver sometime in the next two months. The shelter staff and everyone at Farm Sanctuary are so very happy to have rescued these moms and babies from certain death. We can see that they are already feeling safe and secure. Although the moms remain vigilantly with their babies at all times, they no longer panic when we come to check on the calves — and Octavia and Orchid, for their parts, seem quite at home.

We’ll be sure to announce the arrival of our two new calves, post pictures and share stories of the joy these little ones are bound to bring to their moms, their herd, and everyone they meet!

We're Expecting!tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a010536e26195970b0168eb71051c970c2012-05-12T22:59:53-04:002012-05-12T22:59:42-04:00By Susie That’s right! We’ve been busy taking care of more than 60 animals we rescued last month from a horrifying case of extreme neglect in Western New York. Much to our surprise, two of the emaciated girls are actually...Farm Sanctuary

That’s right! We’ve been busy taking care of more than 60 animals we rescued last month from a horrifying case of extreme neglect in Western New York. Much to our surprise, two of the emaciated girls are actually pregnant and will soon give birth! As you can imagine, the excitement is building here as we prepare for these new arrivals. These soon-to-be-moms are in for the most pleasant surprise of their lives, because they will get to keep their babies!

What We Expect When We’re Expecting

It’s not uncommon for us to take in pregnant animals, especially from farms that are using the mothers to breed and then selling the babies for slaughter. Most rescued animals are initially fearful of people, and pregnancy can often increase this stress. Cows, pigs, sheep, and goats who have had baby after baby taken from them just after birth —often without ever being able to touch or comfort their young — are especially anxious when pregnant. Prior to their rescue, most of these animals have been locked in a constant cycle of pregnancy and birth to satisfy the demands of meat and milk consumers. This takes an emotional toll on the mothers.

When we rescued 60 pigs, most of them gestation sows, from the devastating Midwest floods of 2008, the mothers, many arriving in late-term pregnancy, were the most fearful. After the babies arrived and the mothers realized we were not removing the piglets but, in fact, were helping them, these girls became some of the sweetest pigs I’ve had the pleasure of knowing. To this day, Nikki, the sow who inspired so many by delivering and caring for her babies on a flood-ravaged levy, is one of the best mothers on our shelter. Four years later, she still prepares a nest for her brood each night, settling down with her 600-pound babies Chuck, Ellen, and Portia.

Nikki with her babies on the levee during the Midwest floods of 2008.

Safe at our New York Shelter, every night Nikki still cares for her children and carries straw to build a bed for her family to sleep in.

We witnessed something similar again last year when we rescued a group of goats who arrived at our sanctuary wary, emaciated, and soon to give birth. We watched over these expectant mothers 24/7 to help them through their complicated, high-risk deliveries. Marjorie, who was one of the sickest of this group, gave birth to her baby Gabriel within a few weeks of the rescue. Because Marjorie had been so neglected, Gabriel’s birth was difficult, and he too was sickly, underweight and premature.

A doting mother, Marjorie comforted Gabriel through his illnesses. Even now that he has grown into a strong, healthy adult, the two continue to sleep with their heads touching every night. Gabriel was the smallest of the kids born to the family herd, and he still hides behind his brave mom when another goat gets a little rough during play. Ever protective, Marjorie lets the ruffian know that no one messes with her little boy.

Marjorie and her sweet boy, Gabriel.

And then there’s Fanny. When we found her at a stockyard, this “spent” dairy cow was desperately ailing from a life of milk production and the effects of egregious neglect. Like all dairy cows in production, every calf Fanny had delivered had been taken from her. Fortunately, we were able to revive Fanny and bring her to our New York Shelter, where she later met Orlando, Arnold, Tweed, Conrad and Milbank.

Male dairy calves are deemed useless byproducts of the dairy industry, and these boys had been sold at auction for a few dollars each just after birth. Their buyer intended to raise a group of 11 calves for cheap beef, but when the youngsters contracted pneumonia, he decided to shoot them instead, killing six before authorities intervened. Though skinny, malnourished and sickly when rescued, with proper care, Orlando and his friends were soon thriving. And, when they met Fanny, they discovered a bond that had been denied to them from their first moments of life. The mother who had never known her calves and the calves who had never known their mothers claimed each other at once. Fanny is devoted to her adopted sons, and they bask in her affection!

A tender moment between Fanny and Orlando.

Nikki, Marjorie, Fanny and many other mothers came to our sanctuary abused, neglected and terrified. By providing them with loving care, we have been rewarded with their friendship and with the joy of seeing the enduring relationships between these mothers and their children—natural and adopted. Witnessing these bonds only strengthens our resolve for rescuing these animals and our commitment to sharing their individual stories with the world. When given a chance, every animal can teach us about love and family.

Stay tuned for a more detailed introduction to our new mothers-to-be in an updated post next week!

Getting to Know Themtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a010536e26195970b0168e9af82f8970c2012-04-05T11:05:11-04:002012-04-05T13:37:36-04:00By Tara Tara Oresick, formerly the manager of our New York Shelter, recently became the director of our Northern California Shelter. During my time as an intern, caregiver and shelter manager at the New York Shelter, I had the good...Farm Sanctuary

Tara Oresick, formerly the manager of our New York Shelter, recently became the director of our Northern California Shelter.

During my time as an intern, caregiver and shelter manager at the New York Shelter, I had the good fortune to work with our national shelter director, Susie Coston. What can I say about Susie? She has a gift. She’s incredibly knowledgeable about the needs and healthcare of the animals, not to mention the dizzying task of keeping a large shelter running smoothly every day, but it’s more than that. Susie and farm animals get each other. The animals trust her. And her observational skills are out of this world. She can walk into a barn and actually smell pneumonia, a foot infection, you name it. Working with her is not only a non-stop learning experience but also a blast. She is one of my favorite people in the world, and if I can be half as good a shelter director as she is, I will feel very accomplished.

As daunting as directing a shelter can be, its mandates stem from the same, simple goal I have always had as a caregiver: try to look at every animal as an individual. This philosophy, which feels so natural to us at Farm Sanctuary, is in fact counter to that of most of the veterinary establishment, whose approach to farm animal treatment often emphasizes the financial value of the animals – what humans can get out of them. Farm Sanctuary is an unusual farm animal veterinary client in that we want to do what our animals need, not what is easiest or cheapest. We bring comfort and quality of life into the discussion. We work to heal animals who would have died or languished untreated in the industry due to the expense or inconvenience of their treatments. Because we are so often operating outside the precedent, we have to rely not only on veterinary wisdom but also, strongly, on our own familiarity with our animals. We work hard to be able to recognize what is normal or abnormal for them, what makes them happy, who they are. When you have been told “what is wrong” with an animal or “what is fixable,” you look at that animal, and you give them whatever you can.

Just like with people, I think it’s best to take the animals as they are. Some will love you, and some won’t, and I do my best to be okay with that. I find that, with patience, I can build trust with most of them. There is nothing more rewarding than seeing an animal who was once fearful learn to feel comfortable. Not every shelter animal develops affection for humans, but if every one of them feels free and safe to be himself or herself, then we are doing our job.

One of the best parts of this job is just sitting and watching the animals, getting to know them – learning who likes belly rubs, who adores chest scratches, who hopes you brought a treat (okay, that’s just about everyone), and who would prefer that you just sit quietly and let them sniff you. Every animal is different. I’m so enjoying making the acquaintance of the ones who call this shelter home, and I look forward to sharing their stories with you!

The Ghosts in Our Machinetag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a010536e26195970b0167644d562e970b2012-03-27T16:02:20-04:002012-03-27T17:47:16-04:00Jo-Anne McArthur and Orlando By Susie I often meet artists who are passionate about animal causes, and I love introducing them to the animals who call Farm Sanctuary home. Over the last year or so, we’ve been especially fortunate to...Farm Sanctuary
<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 7pt;"> <a class="asset-img-link" style="display: inline;" href="http://farmsanctuary.typepad.com/.a/6a010536e26195970b0167644da54f970b-pi"><img class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a010536e26195970b0167644da54f970b image-full" title="Jo&amp;amp;orlandohighres-0518" src="http://farmsanctuary.typepad.com/.a/6a010536e26195970b0167644da54f970b-800wi" border="0" alt="Jo&amp;amp;orlandohighres-0518" /></a><br />Jo-Anne McArthur and Orlando</span></p>
<p>By <a href="http://farmsanctuary.typepad.com/about.html" target="_blank">Susie</a></p>
<p>I often meet artists who are passionate about animal causes, and I love introducing them to the animals who call Farm Sanctuary home. Over the last year or so, we’ve been especially fortunate to get to know filmmaker Liz Marshall, and I want to share her upcoming project, THE GHOSTS IN OUR MACHINE, with you.&nbsp;<em>Ghosts</em>, as we often call it, is a documentary that follows the work of photographer and animal advocate Jo-Anne (Jo) McArthur, and it features some Farm Sanctuary residents. Here’s what Liz had to say when I asked about her work and Jo’s:</p>
<p><strong>Susie: What is THE GHOSTS IN OUR MACHINE? </strong></p>
<p><strong>Liz:</strong> Well, with the exception of our cats and dogs and a few wild and stray species within our day-to-day living environments, we primarily encounter animals as food, clothing, research, and entertainment.&nbsp; We don’t fully realize how and where our lives intersect with animals, and that makes these animals “ghosts” in our modern world. THE GHOSTS IN OUR MACHINE is a feature-length film that illuminates the lives of these “ghosts” — individual animals, hidden from our view, living within or rescued from the consumer-driven machine.</p>
<p>Through the heart and photographic lens of animal rights protagonist Jo-Anne McArthur, we become intimately familiar with a small cast of animal characters. These individuals represent just a few of the countless animals we too often unknowingly affect in devastating ways. We hear from a spectrum of voices about the cognitive and emotional complexity of animals and about globalized animal industries — scientists, doctors, and industry representatives also contribute to the story.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a class="asset-img-link" style="display: inline;" href="http://farmsanctuary.typepad.com/.a/6a010536e26195970b0163035837ef970d-pi"><img class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a010536e26195970b0163035837ef970d image-full" title="FarmSanctuary2011_JMcArthur-7443_Liz_Marshall" src="http://farmsanctuary.typepad.com/.a/6a010536e26195970b0163035837ef970d-800wi" border="0" alt="FarmSanctuary2011_JMcArthur-7443_Liz_Marshall" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 7pt;">Filmmaker Liz Marshall with Fanny</span></p>
<p><strong>Susie: How did you and Jo decide to work together on this project?</strong></p>
<p><strong>Liz:</strong> Working with Jo is a natural fit since we are both longtime documentarians committed to social justice.&nbsp; Jo’s photographic body of work, <a href="http://www.weanimals.org" target="_blank">We Animals</a>, initially inspired me, and then I quickly realized it would make an interesting story to feature Jo-Anne as the main human subject of a film.</p>
<p>I approached Jo in early 2009 about the possibility of collaborating on a feature documentary, but it wasn't until later in 2010 that things fell into place. In this project, Jo’s lens is an intimate, honest portal into the lives of these “ghosts,” and she is at a critical juncture in her own activist–photographer career. While Jo's work is celebrated within the worldwide animal rights community, it’s a treasure not known to a wider audience.&nbsp; The animals’ stories involve struggle, and Jo’s does too.</p>
<p>Part of the story follows Jo as she works with her photo agency in New York City to pitch her work to mainstream publications. Her work is happening at a time when issues pertaining to animal rights are in the public eye — there is a groundswell of consumer interest in health and compassion. But, while we’re seeing these issues gain a foothold in popular culture, the animal rights movement, itself, is often misunderstood and marginalized. People still do not want to “see” how their consumer behavior affects billions of animals. The film reflects this wave of consciousness and conflict and is also part of it.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a class="asset-img-link" style="display: inline;" href="http://farmsanctuary.typepad.com/.a/6a010536e26195970b0167644d3a71970b-pi"><img class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a010536e26195970b0167644d3a71970b image-full" title="GHOSTSJan2012-5046" src="http://farmsanctuary.typepad.com/.a/6a010536e26195970b0167644d3a71970b-800wi" border="0" alt="GHOSTSJan2012-5046" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 7pt;">Fanny, Cocoa, Meg, Sammy and Frankie</span></p>
<p><strong>Susie: How did your connection with Farm Sanctuary come about?</strong></p>
<p><strong>Liz:</strong> We (Ghosts Media) are so excited about our growing relationship with Farm Sanctuary. My introduction to the sanctuary was a very magical, unforgettable visit in 2004. It naturally inspired one of the stories featured in the film: the rescue and rehabilitation of <a href="http://www.farmsanctuary.org/rescue/rescues/2011/fanny.html" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Fanny</span></a> and <a href="http://www.farmsanctuary.org/rescue/rescues/2011/sonny.html" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Sonny</span></a>.</p>
<p>This story highlights the realities of the dairy and veal industries and the very special work that Farm Sanctuary does. Jo is a close friend of Farm Sanctuary — as she says in the film, "It is my home away from home." It’s thanks to Jo that we’ve had such access to the sanctuaries and the animals.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a class="asset-img-link" style="display: inline;" href="http://farmsanctuary.typepad.com/.a/6a010536e26195970b0167644d3c33970b-pi"><img class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a010536e26195970b0167644d3c33970b image-full" title="GHOSTSJan2012-5136" src="http://farmsanctuary.typepad.com/.a/6a010536e26195970b0167644d3c33970b-800wi" border="0" alt="GHOSTSJan2012-5136" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 7pt;">Blitzen and the crew</span></p>
<p><strong>Susie: What do people most need to know about farm animals and our food system?</strong></p>
<p><strong>Liz:</strong> I <em>love</em> Bruce Friedrich's [Farm Sanctuary Senior Director for Strategic Initiatives] ongoing Facebook messaging — he posts an image of a farm animal and says “Someone, not Something.” This about sums it up for me. The animals we use for food, research, clothing, and entertainment are individuals who possess emotions and intelligence; they are not inanimate objects. Like many social movements, animal rights can feel like an upward battle, but it is helping to expand compassion in our world. Slowly but surely, these “ghosts” will become known in the consciences of many, many consumers.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 7pt;"><a class="asset-img-link" style="display: inline;" href="http://farmsanctuary.typepad.com/.a/6a010536e26195970b0167644d35b4970b-pi"><img class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a010536e26195970b0167644d35b4970b image-full" title="GHOSTSJan2012-5575" src="http://farmsanctuary.typepad.com/.a/6a010536e26195970b0167644d35b4970b-800wi" border="0" alt="GHOSTSJan2012-5575" /></a><br />New York Shelter resident Tweed greets the camera crew from The Ghosts in Our Machine.</span></p>
<p>THE GHOSTS IN OUR MACHINE is currently in production, with an anticipated release in 2013. To learn more and join the discussion, visit:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.theghostsinourmachine.com/" target="_blank">http://www.theghostsinourmachine.com/</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.facebook.com/TheGhostsInOurMachine" target="_blank">http://www.facebook.com/TheGhostsInOurMachine</a></p></div>
Going to Californiatag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a010536e26195970b0168e91c61d7970c2012-03-22T14:30:54-04:002012-03-22T14:46:30-04:00By Tara Tara Oresick, formerly the manager of our New York Shelter, recently became the director of our Northern California Shelter. My journey to Farm Sanctuary’s Northern California Shelter began more than three years ago and almost three thousand miles...Farm Sanctuary
<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p><a class="asset-img-link" style="display: inline;" href="http://farmsanctuary.typepad.com/.a/6a010536e26195970b0168e91c536f970c-pi"><img class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a010536e26195970b0168e91c536f970c image-full" title="@@2009_09-24_FSNY_Healthcare_Angelo_lamb_bottlefeeding_Tara Oresick_006" src="http://farmsanctuary.typepad.com/.a/6a010536e26195970b0168e91c536f970c-800wi" border="0" alt="@@2009_09-24_FSNY_Healthcare_Angelo_lamb_bottlefeeding_Tara Oresick_006" /></a><br /><br />By <a href="http://farmsanctuary.typepad.com/about.html#tara" target="_blank">Tara</a><br /><br /><em>Tara Oresick, formerly the manager of our New York Shelter, recently became the director of our Northern California Shelter.&nbsp; </em></p>
<p>My journey to Farm Sanctuary’s Northern California Shelter began more than three years ago and almost three thousand miles away. In September 2008, I visited Farm Sanctuary’s New York Shelter in Watkins Glen. I was already a vegetarian and had begun to learn more about the egg and dairy industries. Meeting the shelter’s animals sealed the deal for me: I became a vegan. What really did it was encountering the elderly cattle in the shelter’s special needs herd.&nbsp;I had always been so opposed to veal and had never eaten beef in my life, but suddenly I was faced with a visceral illustration of the connection between those products and the dairy I was still consuming. Here I was meeting 20-year-old Holstein cows, who in the industry would have been deemed “spent” and killed for ground beef by the time they were three or four years old.&nbsp;And those years would have been full of the misery of confinement, the exhaustion of constant milk production, and the grief of bearing calves only for them to be immediately taken away. I was also meeting magnificent adult Holstein steers, who in the industry would have been killed as babies for veal.</a></p>
<p>The one-two punch of that trip was this: I recognized these animals as individuals with their own, wonderful personalities, and I also had to confront the fact that, as much as I said I loved animals and thought my diet was aligned with my beliefs, by continuing to eat eggs and dairy, I was supporting something I was completely against.&nbsp;It was realizing that, for every animal at Farm Sanctuary, there were so many more who would never be seen as anything more than commodities.&nbsp;I knew I couldn’t contribute to that exploitation anymore.</p>
<p>And more than that, I knew I wanted to provide comfort to farm animals with my own hands.&nbsp; By the end of the year, I had quit my teaching job in Rochester, NY, (where I had grown up and earned my Masters in Inclusive Education) and began an internship at the New York Shelter. The work was hard, but I loved it. This was the job for me. When my internship ended, I became a caregiver. About two years later, I became the shelter manager.</p>
<p>When the opportunity to direct the Northern California Shelter arose, I took it. As sad as I was to leave the New York Shelter and the animals and people who had taught me so much, I was also excited to embark on the next leg of my journey. As I settle into a new home, a new climate, a new position, and new responsibilities, I’m grounded by what remains the same: I’m still helping animals with my own hands, every day. Yep, this is the job for me.
<BR><BR><a class="asset-img-link" style="display: inline;" href="http://farmsanctuary.typepad.com/.a/6a010536e26195970b0167641b8013970b-pi"><img class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a010536e26195970b0167641b8013970b image-full" title="2010_04-05_FSNY_Jasper_calf_with Tara Oresick_009_by Luke Hess" src="http://farmsanctuary.typepad.com/.a/6a010536e26195970b0167641b8013970b-800wi" border="0" alt="2010_04-05_FSNY_Jasper_calf_with Tara Oresick_009_by Luke Hess" /></a></p></div>
Introducing Farm Sanctuary’s Animal Acrestag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a010536e26195970b0167640ec699970b2012-03-21T07:40:06-04:002012-03-21T12:00:07-04:00By Susie Last year, we expanded our rescue and refuge network with the addition of a shelter in Acton, CA, just outside of Los Angeles. Now named Farm Sanctuary’s Animal Acres, this facility is currently home to 69 chickens, seven...Farm Sanctuary

Last year, we expanded our rescue and refuge network with the addition of a shelter in Acton, CA, just outside of Los Angeles. Now named Farm Sanctuary’s Animal Acres, this facility is currently home to 69 chickens, seven ducks, 19 pigs, two geese, 13 goats, 16 cattle, nine sheep, 23 turkeys, and three horses. Our dedicated caregivers give their very best to these animals every day. We also have amazing volunteers who work at the shelter every week. I love getting to know all the people and animals that make Farm Sanctuary’s Animal Acres a special place. I am happy to share some stories of a few of the special residents here.

Here are some of the new members of the Farm Sanctuary family:

Sabrina, along with her seven newborn piglets, was rescued from a backyard butcher operation, where she and many other animals languished in neglect, forced to hear the screams of their dying companions. Despite her own suffering and peril, Sabrina’s only concern was for her piglets. Although her babies are now grown and live safely with her at Farm Sanctuary’s Animal Acres, she remains ardently protective of them.

Dandypants was brought to Farm Sanctuary’s Animal Acres after he was found running loose in Los Angeles County — it’s likely that he escaped from a local “live market.” Such businesses, where live animals are selected by customers to be butchered on-site, perpetuate a host of animal cruelties, from miserable living conditions to brutal slaughter procedures. Now safe from such perils, Dandypants struts proudly about the sanctuary grounds, enjoying the company of the other rescued chickens, turkeys, ducks, and geese who call Farm Sanctuary’s Animal Acres home.

When Bruno tumbled from a moving transport truck onto a busy highway near Palmdale, CA, he miraculously survived the fall and the traffic. He was picked up by local animal control, whose protocol is to give up abandoned cattle for auction, but through coordination between the agency and Farm Sanctuary’s Animal acres, the calf avoided that peril as well. Safe forever from slaughter (and highway traffic), Bruno now spends his days roaming the rolling hill pastures with his fellow steers and receiving chin scratches from visitors.

Remembering Hildytag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a010536e26195970b0163021c120b970d2012-03-19T15:14:52-04:002012-03-19T15:01:37-04:00By Susie Prevalent in our society are some deep misconceptions about turkeys: that they lack intelligence, that they don’t have personalities, that there can be no kinship between humans and these animals who appear so very different from us. For...Farm Sanctuary

Prevalent in our society are some deep misconceptions about turkeys: that they lack intelligence, that they don’t have personalities, that there can be no kinship between humans and these animals who appear so very different from us. For eight years, Hildy walked up to people bearing such assumptions and completely disarmed them. No one who met this bright, charismatic bird could doubt that turkeys are individuals with minds, feelings, and unique characters – individuals with whom we can have connections, individuals with whom we can share friendship.

Hildy’s life began in a world that denies that fact. Born in an industrial hatchery, she lost the tip of her beak and the ends of her toes to an amputation procedure used by producers to mitigate fighting injuries in the crowded, stressful environment of the factory farm. An infection contracted at such a facility before her rescue left Hildy permanently blind in one eye.

But neither that disability nor the burden of selective breeding, which predisposes industrial turkeys to excessive weight gain, slowed her down. With the special diet and care provided at our shelter, she flourished through the years and remained hale and hearty even as one of our oldest turkeys. She lived a wonderfully full, long life, but eventually succumbed to heart failure, an ailment common among elderly turkeys.

Hildy loved life. No vestige of her past could stop her from enjoying every day. She was filled with curiosity and, on occasion, mischief (she liked to sneak up on piglets when we took them to play in the turkey pasture). She loved the outdoors. She loved the cool air in autumn. She loved treats like yams and squash.

And Hildy loved people. Partial to having her feathers stroked, she would sit with visitors for hours soaking up attention, which her delighted admirers were only too happy to give. Hildy was one of the most gregarious turkeys we’ve ever met. She charmed her flock mates, too, and was a friend to everyone in the turkey barn.

Her best friends were fellow turkeys Kima, Rhonda, and Feather. They all adored spending time together and, when they weren’t at each other’s sides, would call out to one another to stay in touch. The companions loved to wander beneath the willow tree in the yard by their barn.

It will be strange not to see her beneath that tree. Hildy’s passing is a great loss for all her friends, turkey and human alike. But she has left us a consolation, and that’s the memory of how she lived among us: with great joy.

Top photo by Derek Goodwin

Sanctuary Animals at Playtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a010536e26195970b016763112293970b2012-02-27T15:00:41-05:002012-02-27T15:02:33-05:00By Susie Scribbles, William, and Harry have been charming visitors with their playful and sweet personalities. Check out the videos below to get a short peek at what their days are like living at sanctuary. Thank you for helping to...Farm Sanctuary

By Susie

Scribbles, William, and Harry have been charming visitors with their playful and sweet personalities. Check out the videos below to get a short peek at what their days are like living at sanctuary. Thank you for helping to make their rescue and lifelong care possible!

Scribbles lives at our Northern California Shelter. You can read his full rescue story here.

William and Harry live at Farm Sanctuary’s Animal Acres. Read about how they were rescued.

Rescued Calves Recovering Nicely - An Update on Tinsel and Hollytag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a010536e26195970b016760798a45970b2012-01-13T14:17:16-05:002012-01-17T16:57:34-05:00By Susie It was a cold winter’s day in late December when we rescued Holly and Tinsel from a stockyard auction. Because they were too sick to stand, they were left for dead on the auction house floor, yet they...Farm Sanctuary

It was a cold winter’s day in late December when we rescued Holly and Tinsel from a stockyard auction. Because they were too sick to stand, they were left for dead on the auction house floor, yet they still had a will to live. Luckily, Farm Sanctuary’s Emergency Rescue Team was there to step in to provide them with urgent care, although we knew their recovery could be a difficult one. Despite the bustle of the holidays, our members responded when we reached out for help. Your generosity made this lifesaving rescue and rehabilitation possible.

Because Holly was too weak to stand, her brown fur became matted with feces as she was trampled by frightened calves in the crowded pen. Astoundingly, it quickly became clear that Holly’s most urgent ailment was severe dehydration, demonstrating how even her most basic needs were ignored before her rescue.

Tinsel was much sicker and needed emergency IV fluids. Since both calves torn from their mothers far too soon, they were deprived of the vital nutrients to develop a healthy immune system and required blood transfusions at Cornell University’s Animal Hospital. Both were also treated for severe pneumonia and a variety of other ailments that are unfortunately too common for the neglected calves of the dairy industry.

Today, both of these calves are growing stronger.

We are delighted to see them explore and enjoy life now. As a result of all they endured and the time they spent together regaining their health, they have become best friends. Tinsel adores Holly and looks to her for comfort and guidance in new situations. Holly is more outgoing. While she loves spending time with Tinsel and her other animal friends, she also greets her human visitors with curiosity and affection.

At Farm Sanctuary, Tinsel and Holly are ambassadors for all calves born into the dairy industry. Every visitor to our New York sanctuary who meets them and every person who reads their story can understand why we rescued them and why they matter. Every time a gallon of cow’s milk is purchased, it is because a baby like Tinsel or Holly had been taken from his or her mother.

Because of the support from our members, Tinsel and Holly were rescued from a slow, agonizing death and now they are free to dash across snowy pastures, their eyes gleaming. Their recovery shows us that the same care and consideration we give to cats and dogs can save farm animals too.

Thank you for saving these calves, giving them sanctuary and sharing their story. With your support, we are working toward a more compassionate world for all farm animals.

Remembering Kevintag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a010536e26195970b015392f90358970b2011-11-11T11:54:04-05:002011-11-11T12:01:20-05:00By Susie He had a moo like a foghorn. It would sound again and again as he climbed the hill to fresh pasture, summoning his herd. You could hear it everywhere on the shelter in Watkins Glen. When Kevin arrived...Farm Sanctuary

He had a moo like a foghorn. It would sound again and again as he climbed the hill to fresh pasture, summoning his herd. You could hear it everywhere on the shelter in Watkins Glen.

When Kevin arrived here in 1993, little about him suggested he would grow to be so formidable. The vets doubted he would even live. Kevin was born on a small, local farm. When still young, he fell desperately ill. He had pneumonia. He wasn’t taking his bottle and was starving to death. Unable to stand, he had developed huge, painful abscesses on his chest where it pressed against the ground. The farmer sought veterinary attention for him at first but then decided it wasn’t worth the expense. The vet, however, was not ready to give up, and she happened to have another client she knew would want to help: Farm Sanctuary. The farmer was convinced to relinquish the ailing calf to our custody, and the fight for Kevin’s life began in earnest.

It was well over a month before Kevin could stand. Caregivers watched over him perpetually, flushing the wounds on his chest and staying with him through the night to change his IV. Somehow, the feeble calf pulled through and got back on his feet. He grew stronger. He grew bigger. He grew louder. Eventually, he became the leader of the cattle herd, commanding the respect even of several prominent, and giant, steers who had preceded him into its ranks.

Of course, Kevin was no lightweight. At his largest, he weighed between 2,500 and 3,000 pounds. He dwarfed shelter staff and visitors. Yet he treated everyone with the greatest gentleness. He was patient with his caregivers and amazing with guests. Children adored him. And any time you called his name, he mooed back to you. He was also a kind leader to his fellow cattle. In his old age, he even sweetly indulged the antics of upstarts like the young steers Alexander, Laurence and Blitzen, rescued as feeble calves last winter. When cocky, 200-pound Blitzen tried to take on their monumental elder, Kevin took it in serene stride.

Photo of Kevin by Blanche Johnson Baransky

He was no pushover, however, in matters of friendship. For 17 years he was inseparable from his best friend, Larry, another steer of impressive size and graciousness. A few years ago when Larry’s legs began to give him trouble, we moved him to our special needs herd, whose pasture is less hilly. Since Kevin, though suffering from mild arthritis was still quite spry (a fact apparent whenever he noticed anyone approaching with a bucket of apples or a bowl of grain) we decided to keep him with the main herd. Kevin disagreed with our decision. He spent hours every day at the divide between the two pastures mooing and licking Larry over the fence until we got the message and reunited them. This year, when Larry’s arthritis finally became too painful and debilitating to be eased by treatment, Kevin stood steadfast by his dear friend as he passed.

Both had been by the side of their herd mate Cincinnati Freedom when she faced the end of her life several years before. Suffering from terminal cancer and beyond treatment, Cinci lay surrounded by her fellow cattle as we awaited the vet. Kevin stepped forward and began licking Cinci’s face, calming her in her last moments. When the vet arrived, Kevin and Larry even caused some minor damage to her car as they shouldered their way around it to stand protectively over their friend. Kevin himself did not linger for goodbyes. This year he turned 18, the longest lived of any of our male Holsteins, and he remained hale, hearty and outspoken as summer gave way to fall. Though we worried this winter might be a little hard for Kevin, as winter is for many elderly animals, we were prepared to help him through the harsh months ahead. We didn’t get that chance. It was on a beautifully mild and sunny autumn day, early this week, when we went out to pay Kevin his morning visit and found that he had died, most likely of heart failure. Kevin lay peacefully in the pasture with his friend Kirsty by his side. It appeared he had simply fallen asleep, as on any other night, and then was gone. Quietly and gently.

The grief of his loss was immediate here at the Farm Sanctuary, and I know it will reach far beyond. Kevin touched everyone he met: cattle, humans – everyone. He was an amazing leader, teacher, and friend. No more will that magnificent foghorn of a moo reverberate over these barns and pastures. But in all of our hearts it will continue to echo.